Sheet-glass-surfacing apparatus



Nov. E@ QQ. J. L. BRAKE SHEET GLASS sURFAcING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1927 2- Sheets-Sheet FEL-L. d

NOV. l2, 1929. 1 L, DRAKE l ,735,565

SHEET GLASS SURFACING APPARATUS Filed Jqn. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sme/nto@ Jbm L. Dra/fe Patented Nov. 12, 1929 PATENT OFFICE .iomr I.. Dnaxn, or TOLEDO,

- TOLEDO,

omo, assrenon 'ro y omo, a coarom'rron or omo LIBBEY-OWEN-S GLASS COMPANY, F

SHEET-GLASSLSURIGIN G APPARATUS Application tiled January 5, 1927. Serial- Ro. 159,059.

' This'invention relates broadly to surfacing apparatus and more particularl to polishing machines for surfacing sheet g ass.-

I'In certain processes for surfacing sheet 6 glass, the sheet is supported upon a rotatable table which is positively driven and a plurality of polishing members or runners mounted above the table rest upon the glass sheet and are adapted to be rotated through frictional contact therewith. In the so-called continuous process, a plurali y of sheets of glass mounted upon a series of trucks or tables are moved beneath a plurality of groups of polishing members rotatably arranged thereabove. In both of these processes, the polishing members or runners rest directly vupon the glass sheet at all times with the result that it is difficult for the polishing material used to satisfactorily get under the said members which naturali proves detrimental to the satisfactory, e cient polishing of the glass.

vIt is, therefore, an important object of the resent invention to provide im roved means whereby the polishing materia used will be better able to get un er the polishing members or runners during the surfacing of the glass.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for raising and lowering the polishing members relative to the glass in such a manner that the po hing material will be carried under said members while they are in their raised positions.

`Another object of the inventiorris t9 provide in sheet lass surfacing apparatus, a pluralit of po ishing members, and means engage le by the members for successively raising and lowering said members relative to the glass.

A furt er object of the invention is to pro vide in sheet glass surfacin apparatus, a plurality of groups of polis n members, and separate means for individua y and successively raising and lowering the members of each grou relative to the glass.

A still furt er object of the invention is to provide in sheet glass surfacing apparatus, a plurality of pohshmg members, means for raising and lowering said members relative for 5 to the glass, means feeding a. polishing glass, and

shafts operating through a sleeve 14 having a 'racked portion material onto the glass, and means for lsupporting the glass and carrying the polishing material beneath the polishing memberswhile said lmembers. are in their rals'ed positions.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide `in sheet glass surfacing apparatus, a plurality of groups of polishing members, means for feeding a pohshin' material to each group, means vfor raising an lowering the members of each group relative to the means for supporting the glass and carrying the polishingA material beneath the members of each (group while said members are in their raise positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig

1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of sheet glass surfacing apparatus showing the present invention in use therewith.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view thereof. a Fi 3 is an enlarged detail'elevation showlng t e manner in which the polishing runners are successively raised and lowered.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved runner liftin member, and ,Fig. 5 is a iagrammatic plan of a modified type of apparatus. v

Referring nowztoA the drawings and especially to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the numeral 10 designates a rotatable table which may be provided with a suitable recess within which the glass sheet 11 to be surfaced can be either secured or freely sup rted as desired. The table 10 is adapted to preferably positively driven. t y

Arranged above the rotatabletable 10 are a plurality of rotatable shafts 13, each of the 15. Engageable with the racked portion 15 of each sleeve 14 isa seggear 16 rockable about a shaft 17" by a pitman 18. In Fig. 1, the shafts 1 3 fv their lowered or operative are shown 1n s A, B, C and D. Each Y spider frame 25 provided with a plurality of which thek stub shaftsJ A sition and by rocking. the segmental gears 16v as described, `the sleeves 14 can be raised, causing the shafts 13 to be also raised.

InF ig. 2 are shown four shafts 13, each shaft having associated therewith a series of polishingmembers 24,` the groups of polishing members being designated by the letters group is carried by a bearings 26, through 27 carrying the polishing members 24 are rotatably shafts 27 are provided with enlargements l28 to prevent accidental displacement of l.the polishing members when theyare raised into an inoperative positionand to also aid in the raising of said members out of contact with the glass, as will be more clearly hereinafter apparent.

The present invention relates particularly to improved means for individuallyand successively raising and lowering the polishing members 24 of each groupA, B, C and D relative to the glass sheet 11 together with means for feeding a polishing material onto the glass in such a manner that a film of polishing material will be carried lbeneath the polishing runners while they are intheir raised positions so that-When the polishing members are lowered, they will be lowered directly onto the said film.

In accordance with the present invention,l

there is secured to each of the sleeves 14 adjacent the lowerend thereof, a horizontally arranged lifting member shown in Fig. 4 and designated in its entirety by the numeral 29. This lifting member 29 is formed at one end thereof with a collar portion30 adapted to receive the sleeve 14 therethrough and being keyed thereto by means of suitable set screws or thek like 31 which pass through the said collar and bind against said sleeve. The other end of the lifting member 29 is provided with a horizontal cam face '32 which extends transversely thereof and which is highest at i'ts center and gradually tapers towards its oppositeends.

' In carrying the present invention into practice, one of the lifting members 29 is keyed to each of the-sleeves 14 as clearly shown in the drawings and is so arranged that upon rotation of the spider 25 carrying the polishing members 24, the upper enlarged ends 28 of the stud shafts 27 4will ride upon the cam face 32 whereby to first raise and then lower the polishing member relative to the glass sheet 11. Due to the fact thatthe lifting members 29 are stationary, the polishing members will be successively raised out of contact with the glass and then again lowered onto the glass prior to the raising of the next member.

Arranged for feeding the polishing material :upon the glass sheet 11 are ,four feed pipes-33, 34, 35 and 36,

said pipes being pro- 'idilfor feeding the polishing material` to received. The upper ends of thestu'b rries of glass the groups of polishingmembers A. B. C and D respectively. These; pipes are so positioned that the polishing material fed thereby onto the glass sheet 1l will be carried, upon rotation of the table, beneath the polishing members ofthe group with which it is'associated while the said members are in their raised position. For instance, the pipe 33, is adapted to supply the polishing material to the group r This polishing material is fed onto the glass sheet 11 ysomewhat in advance of the polishing members 24 of the said group A and upon rotation of the table 10 in acounterclockwise direction, the polishing'l material will b e carried under the members 24 of group A' just as the said members are raised outof contact with the glass by'their engagement with the lifting member 29. Consequently when the polishing members are lowered, they will be lowered directly upon a film of polishing material on the glass sheet 11. The manner of supplying the polishing material to the other groups of polishing vmembers is exactly the same. Thecarrying of the polishing material beneath the polishing members while the said members are in their raised. positions will result inthe more efficient satisfactory surfacing of the glass.

Arranged within the polishing members 24 of group C are a plurality of smaller polishing members 37 and a separate lifting device 29 can, if desired, be provided for raising and lowering these members relative to the glass. These smaller polishing members 37 will also be supplied with polishing material from the feed pipe 35.

The lifting member 29 is in the form of an attachment and can be easily and quickly incorporated with those types of polishing machir's hereinabove set forth or with polishing machines of similar types. The members 29 can also be Areadily moved into or out ofA operative position by simply sliding them along the sleeves 14 and subsequently securin them desired position by'means of t le set screwsv31. i

In Fig. 5 a somewhat modified form of the present invention is shown in connection with the so-called continuous process wherein a, se-

sheets 11 to be surfaced are mounted upon a plurality of tables 38 and carried -neath a plurality of groups of rotatable polishing members 39 constructed and arranged in substantially the same manner as the members 24 disclosed in Fig. 1. The groups of polishing members are designated by the letters E, F and G and extending transversely between two of the oups of polishing members such as groups and F is a supporting beam or the like 40 carrying at itsppposite sides the lifting members 29 and 29" which function to raise and lowerthe polishlng members 39 relative to the glass sheets in su stantially the same manner `as the `lifting members29. Each of the lifting vmembers 29 and 29h is provided with a cam face 32 upon which the upper enlarged ends of the stub shafts which carry the polishing members 39 are adapted toride in order to raise the said members out of Icontact with the glass. The polishing material is supplied t0 the groups E and F through the pipes 34 and 35a respectively. vThe polishing material will be fed onto the glass slightly in advance of the polishing 'members 29 and the tables moving to the left will carry this material beneath thel said members of the groups E and F as the said members are raised by their engagement Withvthe lifting members 29a' and 29". The number of groups of polishing members -which can be usedfis of course unlimited. y

It isto be understood that tlieform of the invention herewith be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes' in the'shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. v

Claims: A 1. In a machine for surfacing sheets of glass, a plurality of traveling surfacing tools, a work table vcarrying the sheets tobe surfaced and movable so that the same parts lof the same plece of work are presented suc-- cessively to diiferent'tools, a stationary source of supply of abradant atja fixed point in the course of travel of the work, and a fixed means adjacent such point `of, "supplyand in the path of travel of the tools. for raising each tool as it is brought by its travel to such fixed means, permitting the abradant to en.- ter betweenthe tool and work, and when the tool passes such means permitting said tool to again descend and treat the work with the abradant.

2. -In a machine forsurfacing sheets of glass, a plurality of traveling surfacing tools, a work table carrying the .sheets to be surfaced and movable so that the same parts v of the same piece of work are presented suc- -of suppl 'y ter betweenfthef tool to different tools, a stationary source of abradant at a fixed point in the course o travel of the work, 'and a fixed cam member adjacent such point ofsupply, said member having a horizontal cam face in the path of'travel lof vhe tools for' raising-each tool as it is brought by its travel to such cam member", permitting the abradant to en- Cessively tool' passes s aid ymember permitting the tool the work with the abradant.- v

3. In a machine for surfacing sheets of glass, afplurality of traveling surfacing tools, a work table carrying the sheets to be surfaced and movable so that the same parts of the same pieceof work are presented-successively to d1fsupporting member ferent tools, a rotatable of said stub shafts being shown and described is tol ends, a stationary cam .ually and work and when thev mounted above the table, ried by the surfacing tools and extending vertically through and projecting above said supporting member, said stub shafts being provided with enlarged portions at their uper ends, a stationary source of supply o abradant at a fixed point in the course o travel of the work, and a fixed cam member adjacent such point of supply, said cam mem-y ber having a horizontal cam face in the path of travel of thetools, the enlarged portions adapted to ride up and over the cam face to raise the tools as each tool is'brought by itstravel to said cam member, permitting the abradant to enter 'between ythe tool and` work, and when the tool passes said member permitting the tool to again descend and treat the work with the abradant.

4. Inapparatus for surfacing sheet lass, a table for supporting the sheet tobe sur aced, a supporting member positioned above. the

glass and rotatable about a vertical axis, a

series ofsurfacing members carried by said supporting member, stub-shafts carried hy thesurfacing members and extendin vertically through and projecting above t e supporting member, said stu -shafts being pro`- videdl with enlarged portions at their up er member associaled common to all of said surfacing cam. face,

with and members and having a horizontal `the enlarged portions ofsaidstub-shafts being adapted to ride upand over this face uponrotation of said supporting member to cause the surfacing members to be individand successively raised and then low ered relative to thev glass, and means for supplying anabrasive material between the members and glasswhen said members are raised.

Si ed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and tate ofOhio, this 3rd day of J an., 1927. JOHN L. BRAKE. 

